The Police Anti-Cultism Team at the Delta State Police Command has arrested ten suspected cultism including a lady in Edjophe community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of the State.
Police spokesman in the state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka confirmed to DAILY POST that the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Friday while carrying out initiation of new members inside the community forest, adding that: “the Anti-cultism Team acted on intelligence gathering, and they moved into the forest where they arrested the ten suspects”.
Aniamaka said the police recovered battle axes, live goats meant for the initiation, operational motorcycles, chairs and tables inside the forest, adding that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
It was gathered that Edjophe community had been a beehive of cult activities in the recent times as most youths are alleged to be either members of Vikings or Eiye confraternities. With palpable tension of cult war threatening the relative peace in the community, residents who spoke to DAILY POST on condition of anonymity, feared that unless the cult leaders are brought to book, the community might not know peace.
But speaking further, Aniamaka warned parents to be mindful of the type of association they allow their children to keep, adding that the police will leave no stones unturned to arrest all the hoodlums in the community.
The PPRO disclosed that the police on Thursday killed two suspected cultists in Odion road in Warri after a gun battle. According to him, the Police Anti-Crime Patrol team engaged the cultists, and two members of the group fell to the superior gun battle of the police. He said that the police recovered three AK47 riffles, and several stolen handsets from the cultists, while two others who sustained serious injuries escaped with the wounds.